If there was a blog school (I suppose there probably is), it would probably teach you to stay away from politics and religion. I have blogged on many aspects of PD and am happy to commit to keeping politics out of the way. Faith, though, is absolutely core to who I am, and therefore it feels like it is missing from my blogsite – hence this post Faith, Meaning and Parkinson’s. Alongside faith is meaning, which I think is key for everyone and this is the core of this post.
As it is my blog, I feel that I can talk about faith and meaning. You can choose to read it and agree or disagree. This is not an attempt to convince people of my approach but to share my point of view. Open dialogue allows for diverse perspectives, and I welcome that.
I am not a fan of labels, but as everyone uses them, I guess I would be termed a Modern Orthodox Jew, having chosen to become religious of my own accord when I was 11. I can’t fully explain why I believe in God; I just feel it deeply. This gives me a huge sense of meaning by default as I believe I have a job to do in this world, that my existence is important in the grand scheme of things, and that there is a life after it. My faith also teaches me that all humans are created equal in God’s image, which reinforces my belief in the inherent value and dignity of every person, including myself!
A number of people have asked me to what extent my diagnosis of Parkinson’s has impacted my faith. The reason people have asked is obvious. It is a terrible disease and in some ways it is almost designed as a special challenge for someone like me. Control and dignity are critically important to me, as I alluded to above, and Parkinson’s truly aims it’s weapons at these very traits as you gradually lose control and degenerate.
So how has Parkinson’s impacted my faith? The truth is that it has not had a significant impact. I still strongly believe in God and believe that for whatever reason He has decided that this is the challenge I need to deal with and make the best of, and I believe that by definition it has to be a challenge I have the ability to rise to.
The super-power it provides me is not just the faith I have, but the sense of meaning and purpose it gives me. I have a job to do, I have goals to achieve, I have the capability to do it, and I need to keep trying to drive to these objectives.
Meaning is key – and in this regard, it is necessarily related to what faith you are of, or whether you have faith at all. The question of meaning is a question for all.
I recently read Viktor Frankl’s famous work “Man’s Search for Meaning” written following his experiences in Auschwitz. Although Jewish, he doesn’t advocate a specific faith or path, but he makes a point throughout the book that ‘meaning’ in life is critically important to get through the dark times.
Put simply, he says: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.” As someone who lived through the unbelievable horrors of three death camps including Auschwitz, I think he is entitled to an opinion when he says: “In some ways suffering ceases to be suffering at the moment it finds a meaning, such as the meaning of a sacrifice.”
I logically think he is right and that meaning is a fundamental element of dealing with what is a terrible, long-term, degenerative disease. I find meaning in many things – giving to society, family, but for me it is bound up in faith. For other people it is about different things but nonetheless the importance of meaning is key.
Faith, Meaning and Parkinson’s – I won’t deny that a diagnosis of Parkinson’s is not what anyone wants to hear, and I am not especially pleased to have been given that gift. It is, however, in my view part of His plan and I had therefore better get on with fighting it, and seeking opportunities to give back as a result of having it. I have a sense of purpose and meaning, and it is key to my fight and ability to stay in the fight and live a happier, healthier, and longer life.
Meaning means different things to different people – but meaning is clearly important. Having PD should not change this.
